The invention relates to a reciprocating piston compressor for a refrigerant circuit, comprising a crankcase, in which a collecting chamber for lubricant is arranged, a cylinder housing, in which at least one reciprocating piston is movable in an oscillating manner, a valve plate which closes the cylinder housing and in which at least one inlet valve and one outlet valve are arranged, and a cylinder head, in which a suction gas duct running to the inlet valve and a compressed gas duct leading away from the outlet valve are provided.
The problem with reciprocating piston compressors of this type, particularly when they are built into a refrigerant circuit as reciprocating piston compressor for one of several compressor stages, is that the amount of lubricant collected in the crankcase is larger than provided for, depending on the operating conditions.
The result of this is that either the amount of lubricant required altogether is greater than provided for or other components of the refrigerant circuit, for example a compressor arranged on the outlet side, do not have enough lubricant available.
The object underlying the invention is, therefore, to improve a reciprocating piston compressor of the generic type in such a manner that excessive accumulations of lubricant can be avoided.